Boomtown has begun the recruitment process for a new independent chair following inaugural chairman Brian Gallagher’s decision to step down after taking a new role as Nine radio’s commercial director – audio.
Gallagher spearheaded the establishment of Boomtown, a collective of nine media owners representing the 9.9 million people who live in regional Australia. He has been Boomtown’s chairman since its inception in 2020.
“The Boomtown collective members would like to acknowledge the remarkable legacy that Brian leaves in the creation of Boomtown five years ago. As chairman of Boomtown, Brian has fundamentally reshaped the regional advertising landscape in Australia,” the Boomtown collective said.
“A passionate advocate for regional media, Brian was the driving force behind the creation of Boomtown, an industry-first initiative born from his vision to change the perception of regional Australians in the eyes of national advertisers. What began as an idea quickly became a powerful movement, uniting media owners, agencies, and brands, and shining a spotlight on the unmatched potential of the 9.9 million Australians living in regional areas.
“Boomtown has begun the process of recruiting a new independent chairman and will make an announcement in due course.”
Commenting on his decision to step down, Gallagher said: “It is with mixed emotions that I step down as chairman of Boomtown. It’s been an extraordinary privilege to serve as chairman and to champion the potential of regional Australia.
“When we launched Boomtown, the goal was simple—to shine a light on the value of regional audiences to national advertisers and I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come. Boomtown is now firmly established, with growing momentum, industry-wide support, and proven results.
“It’s in a strong position to continue flourishing, and I have every confidence that it will go from strength to strength. I look forward to watching its continued success.”
